Adelaide will ask for a please explain from the AFL umpiring department after a severely lopsided free kick count in Saturday night's thrilling clash against the Western Bulldogs.
Coach Don Pyke, who paid tribute to the Bulldogs on Saturday night, chose his words carefully post-match and said the club would "seek some understanding" from the umpires.
The free kick count was 14-2 at half time and 28-11 at the final siren in favour of the Bulldogs, with a decision not to pay a mark to Rory Sloane late in the game also contentious.
"It's not really for me to comment … I think it's fair to say it was pretty frustrating for our fans and our players," Pyke said.
"But we’ll address that with the umpiring department during the week and ask some questions.
"We'll seek some understanding."
Crows CEO Andrew Fagan tweeted late on Saturday night that the club felt the frustration of fans and "will be speaking to (the) umpiring department during week".
Pyke paid tribute to the Bulldogs, who smashed his team in the midfield, and said Adelaide's inability to create opportunities for its star forwards was behind the loss.
He said the Crows efficiency once in attack, kicking 17.6 – including eight goals from Josh Jenkins – from just 37 inside 50s, had kept them in the game.
"That's been one of our strengths all year, but we need to generate more opportunities for our forwards," he said.
"We were beaten in a lot of areas and to the Bulldogs credit they played really well … the game was played in their half.
"But that said, I'm really proud of our guys and their ability to just keep coming.
"With a couple of things going our way there we could have snatched it."
Pyke said he was not concerned by a quiet performance from captain Taylor Walker, who was held to one goal, taking his season tally to 12.
The skipper sent a scare through the Crows camp when he limped from the ground after landing awkwardly on his left knee in the second quarter, but he played on and was not hindered.
"It was a 'nearly' game for 'Tex' tonight. He's on the way back up from an interrupted preparation and he'll get better," Pyke said.
The coach also dismissed any concerns Rory Sloane had suffered an ankle injury after a quiet game by the gun midfielder's standards, winning 19 possessions.
Adelaide hosts Geelong on Friday night in the blockbuster return of former Crows star Patrick Dangerfield, but Pyke would not be drawn on the significance of the match.
"Geelong are in good form," he said. "I saw them play today against West Coast and it's another great challenge for our group."
